A highly collectible and very striking Victorian chatelaine, with a beautifully detailed case depicting Medusa, her hair intertwined with snakes, surrounded by scrolling foliage.
Originally, chatelaines were worn from the waist of a working woman’s dress and were designed to hold useful everyday tools. This example would originally have been a practical pair of scissors, carried as part of a lady’s working accessories. At some point in its life, it was converted into a necklace, which gives it a rather wonderful second chapter.
The detail on the case is superb. Medusa’s head is surrounded by twisting snakes and foliage, giving the piece a slightly gothic and wonderfully theatrical feel. It is the sort of antique that immediately catches the eye and is bound to start a conversation.
The scissors themselves are steel or iron and are still fully working. On the reverse of the case are visible G.A.S. hallmarks for Georg Adam Scheid, the highly appraised Vienna silversmith and jeweller.
The long chain is a later addition and tests as silver. It gives the piece a good length and allows the chatelaine to be worn as a very cool statement necklace.
Pieces like this are becoming increasingly difficult to find, particularly with such an interesting design and surviving working scissors. It would make a fantastic addition to a collection of Victorian jewellery, antique chatelaines, Austrian silver or unusual historical jewellery.
This is a truly fabulous piece to wear too!
The Details
Era: Victorian
Material: tests as silver
Hallmarks: G.A.S Austrian Hallmarks
Measurements: 21g x 12.5cm (the orginal chatelaine) x 3.5cm wide. Chain length 21"
Condition: Excellent antique condition. Some wear commensurate with age. Scissors are fully working.
Packaging: This item will be packaged in branded ORL sustainable discreet packaging.
SKU: SMCN-DS
FREE DELIVERY INCLUDED
PROPS & BOXES IN THE PHOTOS ARE FOR DISPLAY ONLY
A highly collectible and very striking Victorian chatelaine, with a beautifully detailed case depicting Medusa, her hair intertwined with snakes, surrounded by scrolling foliage.
Originally, chatelaines were worn from the waist of a working woman’s dress and were designed to hold useful everyday tools. This example would originally have been a practical pair of scissors, carried as part of a lady’s working accessories. At some point in its life, it was converted into a necklace, which gives it a rather wonderful second chapter.
The detail on the case is superb. Medusa’s head is surrounded by twisting snakes and foliage, giving the piece a slightly gothic and wonderfully theatrical feel. It is the sort of antique that immediately catches the eye and is bound to start a conversation.
The scissors themselves are steel or iron and are still fully working. On the reverse of the case are visible G.A.S. hallmarks for Georg Adam Scheid, the highly appraised Vienna silversmith and jeweller.
The long chain is a later addition and tests as silver. It gives the piece a good length and allows the chatelaine to be worn as a very cool statement necklace.
Pieces like this are becoming increasingly difficult to find, particularly with such an interesting design and surviving working scissors. It would make a fantastic addition to a collection of Victorian jewellery, antique chatelaines, Austrian silver or unusual historical jewellery.
This is a truly fabulous piece to wear too!
The Details
Era: Victorian
Material: tests as silver
Hallmarks: G.A.S Austrian Hallmarks
Measurements: 21g x 12.5cm (the orginal chatelaine) x 3.5cm wide. Chain length 21"
Condition: Excellent antique condition. Some wear commensurate with age. Scissors are fully working.
Packaging: This item will be packaged in branded ORL sustainable discreet packaging.
SKU: SMCN-DS
FREE DELIVERY INCLUDED
PROPS & BOXES IN THE PHOTOS ARE FOR DISPLAY ONLY
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